The Kansas Statehouse grounds were closed for several hours Friday morning as police used a robot to inspect a suspicious package.
Police say a man came into the Topeka Police Department and reported that his friend had placed the cardboard canister by the Capitol as a prank. The trash-can-sized container was next to a statue outside the Statehouse.
Capitol Police Officer Patrick Saleh says they didn’t believe the item was a threat, but it was inspected by the Topeka Police bomb squad robot because there was a hazardous material sticker on the container.
“We sent the robot in. The robot took a few x-rays. Then we sent our bomb technician in. There was nothing in it. It was safe, as we suspected. As always, we take every precaution,” says Saleh.
Saleh says the person who reported the object has been interviewed and police are investigating.